Anchor control winch



May 25, 1948. y D, R|CE 2,442,211

. ANCHOR CONTROL 'WINCH Filed June 19, 1944 37 e I `Z/ Z0 z/ 4Z 44 INVENTOR. 19 e//Z /Tce Patented May 25, 1948 ANCHOR CONTROL WINCH Dell E. Rice, South Bend, Ind.

Application June 19, 1944, Serial No. 541,091

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for remote control of a boat anchor.

In boats commonly used for iishing and cruising, the anchor is attached to the bow by means of a rope cr cable, and when not in use is stowed along with the rope or cable piled in disorderly coils or loops inside the boat near the bow.

To drop r weigh anchor requires that the operator be at the bow, which is particularly inconvenient when the boat has but one occupant, who will normally be seated near the stern if the boat is propelled by motor, and in the case of a row boat will be seated amidships operating the oars.

For convenience and in the interest of safety, it is desirable that fore and aft movement of the occupants in the boat be kept at a minimum; and that the rope or cable means of attaching the anchor to the boat be arranged in an orderly manner within the boat to prevent accidents that occur when dropping anchor through the entanglement of hands, feet or legs in loose coils or loops being pulled rapidly overside by the weight of the falling anchor.

In a boat used for atishing, it is particularly desirable` that the boat be provided with means for dropping the anchor slowly, and therefore quietly. To avoid damage ywhich frequently occurs when the anchor strikes the side or gunwale of a boat in dropping and weighing anchor in the usual manner, a device which retains the anchor in weighed position outside the boat is very desirable.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for accomplishing the purposes above indicated.

A further object of this invention is to make possible the dropping and weighing of an Yanchor quietly, using only `one hand and minimum effort, along with the further advantages obtained through the elimination of the hazards and undesirable inconveniences above indicated.

A further object of this invention is to accomplish the objects 4outlined above, with mechanisms so designed that they will improve rather than detract from the appearance of the boat.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, with parts broken away, of a boat equipped with devi-ces embodying the invention:

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, with parts broken away, of the winch which forms part of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the winch, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the bowplate and associated mechanism, showing the anchor in shipped position,

The boat shown in Fig. 1 may be of any type propelled by oars, or by outboard or inboard motor. As shown, it is provided with one or more seats l0 amidships; if propelled by an outboard motor the same will be operated by an operator seated on the after seat l2. The bow I8 of the boat is provided with the usual stem I9 and with a cross-piece 2E! upon which is mounted, as by screws 2l, a 'bowplate 22, which includes a supporting plate 24, resting upon the piece 20, and a forwardly `extending portion 2S provided with a channel 28 within which is mounted a pulley 3!) on a transverse spindle 3i. The upper portion of member 22 lmay be ornamented, as shown, and is preferably provided with a handhold aperture 32, which may also serve as a securing means for a painter or towline.

The channel 28 is designed to receive a cable 34 to which is secured the anchor 36 by means of a loop 31. The cable 34 may be a rope cr other type of flexible cable. From the anchor, it extends over the pulley 3% and thence aft through slip-eyes or pulleys 38 to a reel '43 to which it is secured by means of an aperture 4|, shown in Fig. 3, The anchor may be of the mushroom type shown, and comprises a tapered shan-k 42 which when the anchor is in the weighed position shown in the drawing enters into and is held stationary by a keeper ring `43 directly under the pulley y3i). Ring 43 is provided with a shank 44 which is threaded into a threaded aperture in a stem-plate 46, secured to the stem I9 by means of screws 41 and secured against rotation by means of a look nut 48.

The reel assembly 40 comprises a mounting plate 50 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is mounted on the inner surface of the side of the boat in such position as to be readily accessible from the after seat I2, or from whatever location in the boat is chosen in making the installation. Screw or bolt holes 5l are provided for securing the plate 50 to the side, and the plate is provided with a central boss 52 which is internally threaded to receive the threaded en-d of a spindle 53. The spindle `53 has rotatably mounted thereon the rotary reel member 54 which is held in place by a head `55.

A crank 56 is formed integral with the outer ange of member 54, and is provided With a handle 58 of any suitable type.

The inner iiange 60 of member `54 is provided with a brake drum 6|, which may be formed integral therewith, as shown, and which is designed to cooperate with a brake shoe 62 to form a brake for restraining or preventing rotation of the reel. Shoe 62 is rotatably mounted on a stud E3 on plate 50, and the curvature of thev shoe is eccentric relative to the stud, so that rotation of the shoe in the clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 moves the shoe into contact with drum 6 I. For actuating the shoe,a control lever E4 is provided which extends rearwardly from stud 63, then inclines inwardly,

cable from reel di), the speed yofi-the operationY being controlled by the amount by which the control lever is raised. WhenY sufficient length of cable has been payed out, the operator releases lever 6d, which by its own weight sets the bralfze and Ylocks the Vreel against further rotation.

lo weigh anchor, the operator turns crank the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. i,`

reeling the cable in until anchorY shank seats' snugly within .the keeper 43, which prevents it from swinging and damaging the boat. v

It is not necessary to Yraise lever while reeling in the cable, since the friction betweenrdrum El! Yand shoe 52 moves the shoe toward the released'position, so'that the friction is slight.l On the .other hand, when cable is being payed out, the `friction between the drum and shoe moves the shoe toward brake engaging position, thus constituting a servo brake which will hold the reel firmly/.against movementwhen the levert@ is allowed to bear downwardly under its own weight. As wear occurs on the friction surfaces of .the drum and shoe, a portion of the shoe to theright of the point of contact shown in Fig; 2 will engage the drum.

The operation of dropping and weighing anchor, as above described, never requires the operator vto leave the seat l2, and never requires the use of more than one hand.

The parts constituting the device may be made prevent rotation of the reel by the weight of the anchor but offering little resistance to rotation of the reel in a direction to weigh the anchor, said servo-brake means comprising a circular brakeV drum formed integral with the reel, 'and a brake shoe having a friction surface in the form of kan arc of smaller radius than the drum pivotally mounted eccentrically with respect Vto* the brake drum and to said arc.

2. In; anchor manipulating' apparatus, a supportv designed'to be secured to a boat, a reel rotatably mounted on said support to receive a cable, manual means Vfor rotating the reel to YWind the cable thereon, and servoebrake mechanism for said reel comprising a circular brake drum secured to the reel, a brake shoe having an arcuate friction surface of greater curvature than the drum pivotally mounted eccentrically with Vrespect to the brake drumfand a substantially of cast metal, a's shown, but various plastic substances may be used in forming the Winch. bowplate, stem-plateand keeper ring, and will have material advantage in decreased weightY and freedom from rust or corrosion. 1

Although the invention has been de-scribed wit reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is not limited to such embodiment, but may be varied within the skill'of artisans. `The scope of theinvention is therefore limited 'only by the l terms vof the following claims. Y

I claim: l 1. In anchor manipulatingapparatus. a support adapted to be secured to a rowboat, .a Vreel rotatably mounted on said support to receive anY anchor-supporting cable, manual `means .for rotating 'the reel to wind the cable thereon, and servo-brake means pivotally mounted Yon said support" and rendered operative by gravity to horizontal armV fixed tovthe shoe and operative by its Weight to movethe Vshoeintolocking Yengagement with the drum- 1 3. In anchor manipulating apparatus, a` sul)` port adapted to be secured to a boat, .a reel rotatably mounted on said support to receive an anchor-supporting cable, means for rotating the reel to wind .the cable thereon, and servo-brake mechanism for said reel comprising a `circular brake drum secured to the reel, a brake shoe having an arcuate surface Vof greater curvature than the drum pivotally mounted on thesupport eccentrically with respect to the Vdrumyand anV anchor supporting cable, means for .rotating the reel lto WindV the cable thereon, and servo-brake means for said reel comprising 'a' circular vbrake drum fixed to the reel, a brake shoe having a curved surface of greater curvature than the drum pivotally mountedk on the support within the drum and eccentrically with respect thereto, and a substantially horizontal arm secured .to thershoe and operative by its weight ,to urge .the brake shoe into frictional contact with the drum to prevent rotation of the ,reel by the'weight Vof the anchor, said brake shoe being Vmovable by said arm to a position wherein it is'WhOlly re-Y leased, and to another position where it ,retards but does not prevent rotation of the ,reel by the cable.

" DELL RICE.

REFERENCES CITED Ihe followingreferences are of recordin the le of this patent: Y i

PATENTS Fey '-I--- Aug. l, .1944 

